Brocket deer
| Brocket deer | |
|---|---|
| Gray brocket (M. gouazoubira) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Cervidae |
| Subfamily: | Capreolinae |
| Tribe: | Odocoileini |
| Genus: | Mazama Rafinesque, 1817 |
| Type species | |
| Mazama pita Rafinesque, 1817 | |
| Species | |
|
M. americana | |
Brockets or brocket deer are the species of deer in the genus Mazama. They are medium to small in size, and are found in the Yucatán Peninsula, Central and South America, and the island of Trinidad. Most species are primarily found in forests. They are superficially similar to the African duikers and the Asian muntjacs, but only distantly related. About 10 species of brocket deer are described.
The genus name Mazama is derived from Nahuatl mazame, the plural of mazatl "deer". The common English name "brocket" (from French brocart < broche, spindle) comes from the word for a stag in its second year, with unbranched antlers.